Diet champion survives personal disasters to find a happy new life

A Hemel Hempstead mum who has been hit with every disaster life could throw at her has been crowned a diet champion.

Redundancy and divorce were followed by the loss of her money, her home, and then her father. She finally hit rock bottom when she stood on her scales on New Year’s Day 2014.

Sarah Greener in December 2015

Two years on, a fitter and healthier Sarah Greener, 54, has found love, been crowned The Harcombe Diet Champion, and is looking forward to a bright future.

Sarah’s troubles began in 2007. She said: “My marriage was failing. I was also going through redundancy, and then lost my home in the Mediterranean.

“Returning to the UK, I was hoping for a new start. Alas my life seemed to continue its spiral.

“My father was taken ill and later passed away with motor neurone disease. I lost the small amount of divorce money to a scammer, and then lost a home that was being built for me because the builder went bust!

“Add that to my lifelong battle with my weight. At 6’ 2”, I was never the smallest person in a room, but when I weighed in at 16st 6lbs - well, you can imagine!

“Like most women, I tried all the usual diets, but never managed to succeed. I went to the gym every day, but my real solace was food.

“I was gaining a few pounds, then losing it, then putting it on again. I just resigned myself to being single for the rest of my life, but just plodded along portraying this person who was happy in their own skin and happy on their own.”

Sarah says the final straw was New Year’s Day 2014.

“I woke up on January 1 and saw that I’d gained another 7lbs over Christmas. I told myself that this was just ridiculous, and that things had to change.

“I needed a completely new life – not just weight and fitness - and it was up to me to make it happen.

There and then I decided that I would no longer eat anything that was processed. I hadn’t read anything about it; I was just going to do it.

“A friend told me I was actually doing The Harcombe Diet, whatever that was. After a bit of online research, I bought two of the books and couldn’t put them down.

“They told me how I was feeling and why. Yes, I knew I had a problem with wheat, but grapes? Mushrooms! Who would have believed it?

“I’m now down to 13 stone 6lbs - which is pretty good for my height! – but there is so much more. My hair is better, my shape and skin. The lethargy has gone, the energy is up, and I feel like I can take on the world!” she beams. And Sarah has found love again. She said: “We’ve been together for over a year now, and we are talking of our future. Back in 2013, I really didn’t think I had a future!

“Things are still tough, as they are for all of us. My mum, who has Alzheimer’s, is living with me, and there is food in the house that was once a massive temptation for me. However, now I am in control, not the temptation. I also have the support of some great friends, family, and my special man.”

Zoë Harcombe, founder of The Harcombe Diet®, has researched the characteristics of a ‘workable’ diet, obesity, eating disorders and food cravings for more than 20 years. She is delighted to announce Sarah as her diet champion.

She said: “Sarah’s journey has been fantastic, and our club members say that her story is a real beacon for them.”

Zoë says that the three-phases of The Harcombe Diet are really simple to follow and will have, at no stage, left Sarah feeling hungry.

“Like all our club members, Sarah has ditched fake foods and just eats real food. She hasn’t counted a single calorie, point, carb, or starved herself for one or two days a week. She’s never eaten less – full stop. She just eats better!”